Arsenal Beat Norwich 3-1 to Move Third in English Premier League

April 13 (Bloomberg) -- Three goals in six minutes gave
Arsenal a 3-1 win over Norwich and secured third place in
English soccer’s Premier League for the Gunners.

Goals from Mikel Arteta, Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski,
all after the 84th minute, lifted Arsenal over Chelsea and
Tottenham in the standings.

Everton remain in the race for a berth in the Champions
League after beating Queens Park Rangers 2-0. Aston Villa and
Fulham drew 1-1, as did Southampton and West Ham, while Reading
and Liverpool finished goalless.

Arsenal’s late win gave it 59 points, one more than Chelsea
and Tottenham. Arsenal and Tottenham have six games remaining
and Chelsea has seven.

Michael Turner scored with a header in the 56th minute to
give Norwich the lead at the Emirates Stadium in north London.

Arsenal then tied the game on Arteta’s penalty kick with
five minutes left. The penalty was awarded by linesman Richard
West, who ruled Kai Kamara pulled down Giroud, even with referee
Mike Jones closer to the play.

Arsenal took the lead three minutes later as Giroud knocked
in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross while battling with Sebastien
Bassong. Podolski then clinched the Gunners’ sixth win in seven
games in stoppage time.

Norwich, which has one just one of its past 16 league
matches, remains in the relegation fight on 35 points, four more
than the three teams at the bottom of the standings that will
drop to the second-tier Championship.

Relegation

Everton’s home win kept it in the race for a top-four
finish and a spot in the Champions League, while pushing QPR
closer to relegation.

Darron Gibson and Victor Anichebe scored as the Toffees
moved to 55 points, three fewer than Chelsea and Tottenham. QPR,
which has two wins in its last 12 league matches, remains next-to-last in the 20-team league and is seven points from safety
with five games left.

Aston Villa picked up a point in its relegation battle with
its home draw against Fulham. Charles N’Zogbia gave Villa, which
is three points above the drop, the lead in the 55th minute
before Fabian Delph’s own goal 11 minutes later tied the score.

Andy Carroll’s goal gave West Ham the away draw at
Southampton, which got a score from Gaston Ramirez. The result
left both teams with 38 points, seven above the relegation zone.

Reading picked up a point with its home draw against
Liverpool but remains in last place behind QPR on goal
difference, with both teams on 24 points.